Engineers, architects, government administrators, scientists and
others met in Buffalo March 14, to discuss how Western New York can
prepare for, fund and create green infrastructure projects.

The event, called the Western New York Green Infrastructure
Forum, focused on land-use, transportation, energy, housing and
other issues. It also included discussions on how communities can
improve water quality, specifically as it relates to pollution
caused by stormwater runoff.

Sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and UB,
the forum included a range of speakers with experience in
developing green infrastructure. Among them:

Matt Millea, Onondaga County deputy executive for physical
services. Millea delivered the keynote address focusing on the
county’s “Save the Rain” program, which is a
comprehensive stormwater management plan designed to reduce
pollution in Onondaga Lake.

Robert Shibley, dean of UB’s School of Architecture and
Planning. Shibley discussed an initiative called “One Region
Forward,” a regional effort that focuses on sustainable
planning in Western New York.

From helping investigate toxic chemicals in the Love Canal
neighborhood of Niagara Falls in the 1970s to committing to be
climate neutral by 2030, UB has a long history in environmental
leadership. The forum is another example of its commitment to
educate, inspire and enable people both on and off campus to create
a more sustainable world.